The news is out. Real estate is back.Homebuyers are in the game again, but they're facing a huge inventory shortage in most markets. Some buyers make three or four offers on homes, only to keep losing out to other buyers. In this tight market, buyers and real estate agents need to think outside the box. You may need to go after homes that aren't listed for sale. Here are five ways to do that.

1. Look for 'expired' and 'withdrawn' listings. A good agent will scour the MLS for homes that were listed in the recent past but never sold. Many homes failed to sell because they were seen as overpriced at the time. Does their last list price seem like a valid price today? Chances are, the owner...

Selling Your Home: The Front Door Sets the ToneOnce you decide to sell your home, you want every advantage that you can get. Doing so will increase the chances of attracting buyers who will seriously consider the property. As part of your preparations for placing the home on the market, take the time to consider the little details about the appearance of the home. One of those little details happens to be the front door.

What’s So Important About the Front Door?The front door is often overlooked when a home is prepared for sale. There is a tendency to consider the door for its practical purpose of serving as an entry and exit point for the home. While you certainly want the front door to be operational, there is also the matter of how the...

Sandra Wyant has come across tantalizing clues that she believes point to a gradual turnaround in Vancouver’s tepid housing market.

The new president of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver sees modest but encouraging signs of a stalemate easing between buyers and sellers. Sales volume in the Vancouver region fell 18.3 per cent in March, compared with the same month in 2012, but there is a silver lining: Decreases in year-over-year sales have slowed since last fall, when the number of homes sold tumbled nearly 27 per cent. Another clue? An industry statistic...

BC Voters go to the polls on May 14, 2013 and once again the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) is a top election issue for the Real Estate Board. The PTT is charged on the sale of new and resale homes at 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the remaining value of the home.

Earlier this week, we told you about the most expensive home for sale in Canada, the ultra tacky $38 million teardown mansion in West Vancouver. The City of Vancouver is no slouch when it comes to eight figure listings either. Today we look at the 4803 Belmont avenue in the posh Point Grey neighbourhood. It was listed for $25 million and is claimed to be the most expensive home sold in the City of Vancouver in 2012 at nearly $20 million.

Here is a list of articles on Boomer Retirement, Business Succession Planning, and Estate Planning that you may find interesting:

The Boomer Retirement Bust A massive nine million strong, wave of Retiring Boomers born between 1946 and 1965 are about to change the definition of retirement. They have been the most influential generation shaping Canada’s economy as they moved through each stage of their lives and are now at the cusp of redefining the meaning of retirement. The traditional dream of retiring in their dream home to share and enjoy with their children and grandchildren may not be a reality for many retiring Boomers.

Surrey development company Tien Sher plans to start selling Canada’s smallest condos – starting at just 297 square feet – to the public at noon on April 20, spokesperson Ross Sullivan confirmed to Business in Vancouver April 16.

Pricing for the condos at the project called The Balance, start at $109,900. All of the 56 “micro-suites” will include nine-foot ceilings, track lighting, laminate oak floors and a large open balcony.

While 60% of the suites in the four-storey building are 305 square feet or smaller, the largest suite in the complex is a one-bedroom unit of 653 square feet....